The fire, which has spread to 73 square miles, was 10 percent contained. More than 1,000 firefighters worked to protect homes and struggled to keep the blaze from spreading past a highway that runs along a canyon cut by the Cache La Poudre River. Five of the nation’s available 17 heavy air tankers were deployed to fight the fire.

The fire, which swept through the foothills and canyons 15 miles west of Fort Collins, crossed the highway Tuesday and burned 25 acres before crews extinguished the blaze.

Fire managers said the blaze’s west side was a concern because 70 percent of the trees had been killed by pine beetles, leaving drying wooden poles with branches and red pine needles that pose a hazard for firefighters.

Hahnenberg said they’re looking for roads and ridges where firefighters can light fires to burn up fuel.

Larimer County sheriff’s deputies were beginning the task of assessing the damage. Hundreds of displaced residents were waiting for word about their homes, and the American Red Cross made mental health assistance available to help those getting bad news.

A relative of a 62-year-old woman believed to have died in the fire Saturday said an evacuation warning likely went to the main house at the property.

Karen Steadman told KUSA-TV (http://on9news.tv/L4WqON ) that her mother-in-law, Linda Steadman had previously left for wildfires and would have left if she had known about the evacuation.

She said family members rushed to the ranch Saturday when they saw smoke but a “fire ball” came down to the property. They only got within about 50 yards.

Authorities have allowed some residents evacuated to return home and were considering lifting evacuations for other areas — but more people have been warned to be prepared to leave. Sheriff’s officials have been unable to provide an estimate of how many people were displaced.